The eighth seed won the Korea Open last weekend and looked to have an excellent opportunity to claim back-to-back titles, yet Barty had other ideas.

Australian Barty started the year outside the top 200, but will be inside the top 30 next week after breaking twice in the first set and three times in the second to ease through.

An out-of-sorts Ostapenko took a medical timeout in which she appeared to have her blood pressure checked after the first set and looked disgruntled when her coach attempted to provide words of wisdom during a match which Barty won with a third bagel of the week.

A rampant Barty will face Garcia in her first Premier 5 level final on Saturday after the World No. 20 ended Maria Sakkari's unexpected run to the last four.

The unseeded Garcia won 6-3, 6-2 in the second semifinal to reach her first final of the year at the expense of the world number 80 from Greece.

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